Indie devs should be happy about Play Store app testing change

Before publishing an Android app Google Play Storedevelopers need to test their applications with many different users. Late last year, Google implemented a rule that made it a requirement for developers to test their apps with at least 20 people within 14 days. Many independent app developers complained about this rule because they felt it was too burdensome. Fortunately, Google heard the complaints and quietly relaxed the rules a little.

In update support page Outlining app testing requirements for Google Play, Google said developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, must conduct closed testing of their apps with at least 12 testers within 14 days. Previously, the page stated that developers with personal accounts were required to conduct closed testing with at least 20 testers during the same period.

Old:

If you have a newly created personal developer account, you must have at least 20 testers who have continuously opted in in the past 14 days to run closed testing for your app.

New:

If you have a newly created personal developer account, you must have at least 12 testers who have continuously opted in in the past 14 days to run closed testing for your app.

While this policy change may not seem like a big deal at first, it could lead to more independent app developers publishing their apps on Google Play. Many independent app developers work alone and may have only a few friends or family members to ask to test their apps. Until then, limited testers could be a significant obstacle due to Google’s app testing requirements.

Independent app developers who don’t know enough people personally to test their apps must turn to social media platforms like X or Reddit to find other testers. This extra step—recruiting testers via social media—will at best delay the release of the app, and at worst prevent developers from publishing on Google Play, potentially causing them to choose a different platform or entirely Abandon the project.

To be fair, the idea behind this policy is sound, as it forces developers to test their apps with real users before releasing them to the public and possibly uncover issues. This in turn improves the overall quality of apps available on Google Play as developers are more likely to deliver Great Android App When their app is put through two weeks of real-world testing with real users. However, forcing developers with personal accounts to find 20 real testers was a bit much, and Google now seems to agree, as it has reduced the number of testers required to 12.

Developers with enterprise accounts will not be affected by this policy change, as enterprise accounts are not subject to the same application testing requirements at all. Registering a business account on Google Play requires formally establishing your business, which involves providing Google with a DUNS number. Google may drop app testing requirements for business accounts as the barrier to entry for creating a business account is higher, reducing the likelihood that published apps will be rejected. malware.

At the scale of Google Play, it’s hard to please everyone, so policy changes like this will undoubtedly continue to happen as Google receives feedback and tries to adapt to new threats. This change should undoubtedly be welcomed by some independent app developers who feel that Google Play is becoming increasingly hostile to them. If you’re an independent app developer who found the old policy too burdensome, let us know what you think of this change in the comments below!